Magnesium: The lightweight material of the future in industry

Magnesium Renaissance Researchers Make Magnesium More Attractive

2026-02-24 Source: TUBAF | Translated by AI 4 min Reading Time

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The engine block and gearbox housing of the VW Beetle were already made of magnesium. The little Lupo also had components made of it. After a shadowy existence, the light metal could shine again ...

View of the manual casting process of a magnesium part. Apart from a few exceptions, the light metal actually leads a shadowy existence as an industrial material. However, researchers in Freiberg are now in the process of making magnesium much more attractive in terms of costs and sustainability.(Image: Metal Master) — View of the manual casting process of a magnesium part. Apart from a few exceptions, the light metal actually leads a shadowy existence as an industrial material. However, researchers in Freiberg are now in the process of making magnesium much more attractive in terms of costs and sustainability.
(Image: Metal Master)

Although magnesium is lighter than aluminum, it was only found sporadically in industry. This is particularly surprising in times of lightweight construction requirements, which are intended to save fuel and energy. One reason for this is that the processing of magnesium is considered complex and, above all, energy-intensive. And when magnesium burns, it's no fun, because you can't fight the fire with conventional extinguishing agents. However, the Technical University Bergakademie Freiberg (TUBAF), Germany, is now working on making magnesium not only an attractive but also a climate-friendly material for industry, which could give a new boost to lightweight construction.

Less Energy and CO₂ in Magnesium Processing

A team from various departments at TUBAF has worked with industrial partners to forge an end-to-end process chain for lightweight magnesium components that extends from the melt to the functional prototype, according to the report. Energy requirements and CO₂ emissions have been reduced across all process steps - thanks to the use of hydrogen in melting and heating technology, shortened processes and a cold-formable magnesium alloy, among other things. Among other things, the research alliance has produced lightweight magnesium computer housings, rear rail seat walls for high-speed trains such as the TGV, hinge parts for transport containers and an airflow channel for a hovercraft rescue vehicle.

Casting Rollers Reduce the Effort Required for Forming

Starting with sheet metal production, the Freiberg team at the Institute of Metal Forming is relying on innovative processes to achieve this, it continues. Magnesium sheets with a thickness of around five millimetres can already be produced using casting rollers. This means that downstream forming steps can be reduced. The result is magnesium components that are around a third lighter than their aluminum counterparts with comparable strength. This means that the potential of magnesium as a lightweight material can be better exploited in future - for example for e-mobility, in mechanical and vehicle engineering or in medical technology.

At the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, so-called casting-rolling is also used for the forming of magnesium in order to bring the light metal close to the desired contour more quickly and cheaply. This saves some of the usual forming steps.(Image: TUBAF) — At the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, so-called casting-rolling is also used for the forming of magnesium in order to bring the light metal close to the desired contour more quickly and cheaply. This saves some of the usual forming steps.
(Image: TUBAF)

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